Description
Land Rover Series III Lightweight 2. 25P1975 | N Registered | 2. 25 Petrol | 4 Speed Manual | Fairey Overdrive | Deep Bronze Green | 12 Volt | Full Canvas HoodSpecification: 1975 ‘Half Ton’ Air Portable model on original chassis. 2286cc 4cyl petrol engine, coupled to a 4spd manual transmission with Fairey Overdrive. 5 x matching wheels with 6. 00R16 tyres. Galvanised bulkhead and front panel. Black vinyl seats. Rear black vinyl bench seats. Fully removable canvas hood. Upgraded halogen headlamps. Cabin heater. Ready to use and enjoy. Description:In the early 1960s the British Armed Forces required a vehicle that could be carried by air. They had taken delivery of the Westland Wessex helicopter, which could carry a 2, 500 lb (1, 134 kg) load slung beneath. The smallest Land Rover available at the time was a Series IIA 88” which was too heavy. In 1965, Land Rover began work on a lightweight version to fit the specifications. The result was the Land Rover Half-Ton, known widely as the Lightweight or Airportable, which had a reduced weight with the lift off bodywork removed and a 4-inch width reduction allowing it to fit side by side inside of the cargo planes at the time. This example was built in 1975, and served with the MoD although we unfortunately don’t have any service history with it. It was disposed of by the MoD in 1984 and was registered with the DVLA in March of that year. In more recent years, it has received some refurbishment with a galvanised bulkhead and front panel plus a respray in the civilian Deep Bronze Green. Many new parts have also been fitted including a full wiring loom and various electrical components such as the starter and alternator. Underneath, it still runs on it’s original chassis but has had a new rear crossmember added at somepoint. It has been protected with underseal over the years to keep it solid, however you may wish to clean some of the older, drier stuff off and re-seal it in the next few years. The engine is a ‘two and a quarter’ petrol engine which fires into life readily with a touch of choke. On the road, it pulls nicely cruising at around 45mph happily thanks an additional overdrive unit. If you swapped onto taller 7. 50R16 sized wheels and tyres, you would gain a higher cruising speed but to the detriment of acceleration. All the gears select fine and the low range and four-wheel drive work as they should. The interior is in good condition; with the correct black vinyl front seats, with the two outers fitted with 3-point static belts and the middle seat with a static lap belt. All the electricals and gauges work as they should, with a working heater to keep things a bit warmer in the colder weather. There are twin, two-man foldup bench seats are fitted in the rear so you can carry four additional passengers. This classic army Land Rover would make a fun investment that you could use at any time of the year… as a show piece, fetching firewood in the snow or just the kids from school on a summer’s day with the hood off! The odometer reads 94153 at present (we cannot verify this), and has an MoT valid until 23rd June 2027 (although is tax and MoT exempt). If you are interested, please do get in touch – we’d be happy to help!Conditions:We have described the vehicle as accurately as we can, but please take your time looking through the photos. Viewing is most welcome, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. All funds must be cleared before the vehicle can be taken away. We are happy to take deposits to reserve vehicles, however this is non-refundable fee agreed on point of sale, and is valid for 7 days at which point the full balance must be settled and collection or delivery arranged. The vehicle must be collected from our premises near Shrewsbury. We can also arrange UK delivery by trailer if you so require.
